Canada
I hold a soft spot in my heart for the neighbors up north. When people ask what I miss most about my switch from the CRCNA to the PCUSA, I usually answer: “The Canadians!” (The CRC is a rare bi-national denomination: actually the same organization in the US and in Canada, unlike many other protestant groups who have one entity that US and another Canadian.)Many of my favorite seminary classmates were Canadian, and many of my favorite American classmates are serving churches in Canada now. Plus, my mom’s family actually lived there long enough that she can sing “God Save the Queen” from memory.So, check out the crazy business going on up there. Now, while I am following this in part out of love for the Canadians, I also have to admit there’s a bit of come-upance in the whole thing for me: I was in seminary during the 2000 election, and we Americans took a good deal of abuse from the Canadians over the fact that our government couldn’t figure out who had been elected. Hmmm…looks to me like even a parlimentarian system run by very very nice people can hit some little snafus!
As a resident alien observer (and undoubtedly one of your favourite seminary classmates serving in Canada :- ) !) I must say that it’s been fun to watch the parliamentary system in action. I’m just so shocked that anybody down in the States has noticed!
8 December 2008 at 10:20 pm